Arguements defending Iraqi ocupation

[Governor PiT]

arguements and links?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

arguements and links?

Our bases in Iraq provide a strategic position from which to strike at Iran and Syria...which is the main reason why I supported the invasion of Iraq in the first place.  I thought Bush was going to leap frog from Iraq into Iran, not settle into Iraq to attempt to make it civilized.

Iraq is a lost cause.  Bush needs to leave the policing of Iraq to the Iraqis and start using Iraq as a staging area.

[KEmperor]

arguements and links?

Our bases in Iraqi provide a strategic position from which to strike at Iran and Syria...which is the main reason why I supported the invasion of Iraq in the first place.  I thought Bush was going to leap frog from Iraq into Iran, not settle into Iraq to attempt to make it civilized.

Iraq is a lost cause.  Bush needs to leave the policing of Iraq to the Iraqis and start using Iraq as a staging area.

I think he was looking for sane arguments.

For example, there's the fact that we removed a brutal dictatorship that was hostile to US interests.  The fact that the Iraqis don't seem to be able to behave in a civilized manner with each other is another issue.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

arguements and links?

Our bases in Iraq provide a strategic position from which to strike at Iran and Syria...which is the main reason why I supported the invasion of Iraq in the first place.  I thought Bush was going to leap frog from Iraq into Iran, not settle into Iraq to attempt to make it civilized.

Iraq is a lost cause.  Bush needs to leave the policing of Iraq to the Iraqis and start using Iraq as a staging area.

I think he was looking for sane arguments.

In light of Iran's intentions, it is very sane to argue for an all-out strike against Iran and Syria. 

[Tetro Kornbluth]

The fact that it is now the lesser of all available evils; given that Iraq's biggest political blocs {not to mention the guerilla groups} are all sectarian (and the biggest has some very pro-Iran elements including Iraqi Hezbollah) any sort of reduced security would only increase the Anarchy and bloodshed.

Though anyone who thinks Iraq is not in Civil war right now really needs to get out of their reality bubble. (same for anyone who wants America to invade Iran - the Iraqi invasions greatest benificator is so far been Iran.)

[Jake]

The fact that it is now the lesser of all available evils; given that Iraq's biggest political blocs {not to mention the guerilla groups} are all sectarian (and the biggest has some very pro-Iran elements including Iraqi Hezbollah) any sort of reduced security would only increase the Anarchy and bloodshed.

Though anyone who thinks Iraq is not in Civil war right now really needs to get out of their reality bubble. (same for anyone who wants America to invade Iran - the Iraqi invasions greatest benificator is so far been Iran.)

Bingo. The current choices are as follows:

A. Trade 1,000 soldiers and $100 billion each year in exchange for preventing an all-out Middle East war.

B. Pull out and cause the complete breakdown of order in Iraq, and chance causing an all-out Middle East war.

[Beet]

The fact that it is now the lesser of all available evils; given that Iraq's biggest political blocs {not to mention the guerilla groups} are all sectarian (and the biggest has some very pro-Iran elements including Iraqi Hezbollah) any sort of reduced security would only increase the Anarchy and bloodshed.

Though anyone who thinks Iraq is not in Civil war right now really needs to get out of their reality bubble. (same for anyone who wants America to invade Iran - the Iraqi invasions greatest benificator is so far been Iran.)

Bingo. The current choices are as follows:

A. Trade 1,000 soldiers and $100 billion each year in exchange for preventing an all-out Middle East war.

B. Pull out and cause the complete breakdown of order in Iraq, and chance causing an all-out Middle East war.

^ ^ ^ ^

Pretty much.

As with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict however, as time goes on hope springs eternal, and with the right political will and a sufficient amount of armed control I really think some kind of peace agreement can be worked out between the sectional factions. The problem is the political will is very weak and it will cost a lot of money to disarm those independent militias which cannot be persuaded to join a political process.

[Silent Hunter]

For a start, it's no longer an occupation. We are there with a UN mandate, at the invitation of a legitimately elected Iraqi government.

[??????????]

We need to stay there to defend the oil.

[dazzleman]

For a start, it's no longer an occupation. We are there with a UN mandate, at the invitation of a legitimately elected Iraqi government.

True, it's not an occupation if the elected government asks us to be there.  Technically, it's no more an occupation than our troop presence in Germany is an occupation.  The Germans may hate us (though with their record, they're in NO position to pass judgment), but they started crying bloody murder when we talked about pulling some troops out and closing some bases -- much as they hate us, they still want our money.  Kind of like the rebellious teenager who still wants daddy to support him in lavish fashion.

As far as Iraq is concerned, Jake and KEmperor struck on very good points.  I have little to ad to what those two dudes said.

[David S]

How about we leave and let them figure it out.
If they peacefully resolve their differences fine.
If they kill each other off, we wait til the dust settles then move in and put up condos ... next to the oil wells.

[AkSaber]

How about, for the Iraqi people? We have let tens of thousands of them be murdered and haven't done anything about it. Let's try to fix Iraq so we can at least look like war mongers who clean up their messes.

[True Democrat]

See Jefferson's "Empire of Liberty" explanation for the LA Purchase.  That should be a good basis for Iraq.